Online Banking Security
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To assure the security of your transactions, BSI Online requires browsers capable of 128-bit encryption. Our system is monitored 24 hours a day so that any suspicious activity is immediately identified. There are a number of other steps that have been taken to ensure the security of this data and your transactions, including 24 hour surveillance, real time reporting, automatic shutting down of your session if there is no activity for thirty minutes and encryption. Bath Savings Institution uses a dedicated server and a firewall which acts as a barrier between the Internet and the bank.
All information that is transmitted to and from us is encrypted. This means that your information is scrambled while it is on the Internet so that it can be kept private. You can identify a secured site with encrypted information. Users of Microsoft browsers will see a padlock appear during an encrypted session. Users of Netscape will be able to see if they are on a secured site by the small key at the bottom of the screen – if it is unbroken, the site is secure. If the padlock is locked, the site is secure.
There are many things you can do to ensure your security:
- Always use the latest version of your browser.
- Do not disclose your BSI Online Access ID or Password to anyone and do not write them down where they may be easily found.
- Do not use a password that can easily be guessed, such as your birthdate or a child's name.
- Change your password frequently.
- Do not leave your computer unattended after you have signed on.
- Be sure to use anti-virus software for all your Internet activity.
- A personal firewall helps to keep your information private. Whenever you are online, regardless of the type of Internet connection you use, your PC is vulnerable to attacks. A personal firewall can be hardware, software, or a combination of the two. Using a personal firewall is smart protection from hackers and loss of personal information.
If you forget your password, BSI Online allows three invalid attempts before locking the system. Your account must then be reset. Please call us during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST) at 1-800-447-4559, or send us a secure email message through our “contact us” email on this website with a number where you can be reached during the day. We may need to contact you for more information.
Internet Explorer has a feature, Intelliforms, which leaves a trail every time you fill in Web forms. If your browser’s history is not properly cleared, others can trace and access your personal information. To clear up this cached data, choose Tools on the menu bar, then Internet Options. The first thing to do here is to click on the Clear History button at the bottom of the window. (Lowering the numbers of days to keep the history to one or two is a good precaution). Next click on the Content tab and the AutoComplete button. A new window will pop up, then click the Clear Forms followed by the Clear Passwords buttons.
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information to establish credit, purchase items or borrow money in your name. The FDIC has a tool to help you protect yourself against identity theft. Click here to view their multimedia tool:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard/
Here are some ways you can protect yourself:
- Safeguard your personal information such as social security number, credit, debit and bank account numbers. When disposing of this information, do it by shredding.
- Examine your financial statements upon receipt. Report any discrepancies immediately.
- Obtain copies of your credit report annually from the three credit reporting companies:
Equifax: www.equifax.com
Experian: www.experian.com
TransUnion: www.transunion.com - Remove mail promptly from your mailbox and do not put any outgoing mail in your curb side mailbox, take it to a Postal Service box.
- Use a firewall and antivirus protection software.
Protecting Your Personal Information
Bath Savings Institution has many safeguards in place to protect your personal information from unauthorized disclosure, however, Internet scams are one of the fastest growing frauds today. We have received reports of “spoofed” websites of Maine community banks, and while we haven’t had one at Bath Savings, it could happen. This type of fraud is called “phishing”. Fraudulent websites are designed to fool an email recipient into divulging personal financial information. An email is sent with a link to the website, which looks like the bank’s website but it is a fraud. The customer is asked for account numbers or social security numbers.
In an effort to assist you in protecting your personal information please remember:
- Bath Savings Institution will never send e-mail messages that request confidential information, such as account numbers, passwords, or PINs. Please report any attempt to obtain this information to us.
- Bath Savings Institution’s Web site should never be accessed from a link unless that link is provided by a web browser. You may also access the website by directly typing in the Web site name – www.bathsavings.com
For more information on online information scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at the following address:
http://www.ftc.gov


Protecting Your Personal Information